Vitellian Peas
Unappetizing in appearance, these peas taste strange to a modern palate, but it’s not bad
City/Region: Rome
Time Period: 1st Century
The year 69, also known as the Year of the Four Emperors, was a crazy time in Rome. Vitellius, after whom this dish is named, was emperor number three that year, and is mostly remembered for being a glutton.
These peas may not be the most extravagant food, seeing as how they’re named after an emperor, but they have that Roman blend of flavors that’s so strange to a modern palate. You definitely get the pea flavor, then a savoriness from the garum and sweetness from the honey. You can use any kind of dried pea or dried bean for this, like marrowfat or split peas and fava or broad beans.
“Pisam Vitellianam Sive Fabam
Vitellian peas:
Boil the peas or beans, stir until smooth. Pound pepper, lovage, ginger; and over the spices put yolks of hard-boiled eggs, 3 oz. honey, liquamen, wine, and vinegar. Put all this, including the spices which you have pounded, in a saucepan. Add oil, and bring to a boil. Season the peas with this. Stir until smooth if lumpy. Add honey and serve. ”
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 g) dried peas (marrowfat or split peas work well) or fava beans
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon lovage leaves* or 1/2 teaspoon lovage seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger*
- 3 hard boiled egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) garum*
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) wine, I used white
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
*See notes below.
Instructions:
- Depending on the type of dried pea or bean you’re using, you may need to soak them for a few hours, so go ahead and do that if you need to.
- Put the peas in a pot and add just enough water to cover them. Set the pot over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, keeping an eye on the water level and adding more if it gets low.
- When there’s about 10 minutes left on the cook time for the peas, grind the pepper, lovage, and ginger together. Add the egg yolks and grind until smooth. You should have a paste.
- In a small saucepan, stir the honey, garum, wine, and vinegar together. Mix in the egg mixture until combined. Stir in the olive oil. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the cooked seasoning mixture into the peas and stir until mostly smooth. If you want it a little sweeter, add some more honey.
- Serve it forth.
Notes
- Lovage is a mildly sweet herb that can be hard to find. You can use celery leaf as a subsitute. Do not eat lovage if you are pregnant!
- Garum was a fermented fish sauce that was used in a lot of ancient Roman cooking. You can buy a modern equivalent or use an Asian fish sauce.
- Link to lovage: https://www.amazon.com/Biokoma-Levisticum-officinale-Resealable-Moisture/dp/B07JYCT3JH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa
- Link to dried ginger: https://www.amazon.com/Sadaf-Dried-Ginger-Whole-0-75/dp/B00886MXH6/ref=sr_1_11_sspa
- Link to modern garum: https://amzn.to/3ulTKKW
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